Teen jailed after riding in stolen Coast car

A TEEN who claims he was the passenger in a stolen car without realising has had more time added to an already hefty sentence he's serving for arson.

Jayden Tyler Richards, 19, was in a stolen car which crashed in Maroochydore on December 29, before witnesses reported a further attempted car theft at a nearby refuse centre.

The crashed car - a Mazda 3 sedan - had been stolen days earlier after its driver had been assaulted in the theft and was getting medical attention.

Richards yesterday pleaded guilty in Maroochydore Magistrates Court to unlawful use of a motor vehicle.

When he was arrested late last month his fingerprints were found in the car, but there was no evidence he'd been the driver.

Richards was instead charged for being a knowing passenger in a stolen car.

Appearing without legal representation, Richards told the court in his defence, "I wasn't aware I was in a stolen car until halfway through the day when police were chasing us".

The court heard Richards was convicted of two similar offences and one count of arson in July last year where he received a head sentence of three years, but was out on parole at the time of the current offences.

Magistrate Matthew McLaughlin sentenced Richards to six months' imprisonment, to be served cumulative with his current term.